wansley



Nov. 14, 1961 w, w Ns 3,008,750

GRAPPLE Filed Jan. 2, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m5 INVENTOR.

1 2. 10m )olh A/vszzy ATTORNEY Nov. 14, 1961 1.. w. WANSLEY GRAPPLEFiled Jan. 2, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. [0 Y0 14! h ANSLE)ATTORNEY United States Patent 6 3,008,750 GRAPPLE Loyd W. Wansley, 8124E. Concord Blvd., Jacksonville, Fla. Filed Jan. 2, 1959, Ser. No.784,485 Claims. (Cl. 29492) This invention relates to a grapple and moreparticularly to a grapple specifically adapted for the lifting ofI-beams.

It is a general object of this invention to provide an improved objectlifting grapple and particularly an improved I-beam lifting grapple.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a grapple which willbe self-releasing from a lifted object after the object has been setdown in its desired position, thereby to eliminate the need for manualintervention at the place where the object is set down.

Certain self-releasing grapples have been heretofore suggested whichtend to be complicated in construction and which require carefuladjustment of the self-releasing mechanism at the time of lifting theload. Such mechanisms are subject to malfunctioning, either from wear ordamage to parts, or from incorrect setting by the crane follower, andinvolve an expensive plurality of special parts.

Accordingly, a particular object of the invention is to provide aself-releasing grapple which is simple and inexpensive in construction,which has a minimum of moving parts which may wear or jam and which issubstantially failure proof in operation.

Another object is to provide a self-releasing grapple which is so easilymanipulated as to permit the employment of unskilled workmen as thecrane follower to aid in the attachment of the grapple to the load.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a selfreleasing grappleparticularly adapted for the lifting of I-beams, which has no moving jawelement and of which the correct setting is clearly visible from adistance, and, more specifically, a grapple so arranged that it will notlift the I-beam until correctly set and positioned with respect thereto.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the grapple illustrating its normalsuspended position prior to grappling engagement with the flange of anl-beam, which is indicated in broken lines, certain component members ofthe grapple being duplicated in broken lines to illustrate positionswhich are assumed thereby during the manipulation of the grapple;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the grapple shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating thepositions assumed by the grapple and its elements during the lifting ofan object, such as the L beam which is indicated in broken lines; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG.1, showing details of the construction.

The embodiment of the grapple illustrated in the figures willhereinafter be described with respect to its use in lifting an I-beam.While only one grapple is shown, it will occur to those skilled in theart that such grapples may be employed either singly or in pairsdepending upon the length of the beam and on like circumstances, andthat, when used in pairs, the grapples may be spaced one from the otherso as to balance the load of the beam and they may be interconnected toa lifting cable by a suitable sling mechanism.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the grapple 1 comprises a body portion 2which includes a plate portion 5 and spaced parallel jaw elementportions 3 and 4 which are carried by and joined to the plate portion 5.The jaw 3,008,750 Patented Nov. 14, 1961 portions define therebetween aninverted U-shaped objectreceiving opening 6 extending generally upwardlyinto the body portion, and include a pair of fixed gripping elements 7and 8 which extend inwardly from each of the respective jaws into thisopening. Gripping element 7 includes a sharp peripheral edge inwardly ofthe opening, as shown at 9, which edge, as seen in FIG. 1, is formed atthe juncture between the flat inner end surface 10 of the element and adiverging outer surface portion 11 thereof, whereas element 8 includesan object penetrating sharp peripheral inner edge 12 formed at theintersection of the cylindrical outer surface 13 of the element 8 and aninner frustro-conical outwardly diverging end surface 14 of the element8. In lifting an object, such as the I- beam shown in broken lines at15, the use of the circular sharp penetrating edges on the elements 7and 8 results in the gripping of the object by the elements 7 and 8regardless of some swinging of the grapple in a direction along theI-beam or other object.

A pivot in the form of a bolt 16 connects the lower end 36 of a liftingarm 17 to the plate portion 5 of body 2 substantially directly above andin alignment with the jaw opening 6, and a pivot bolt 18 connects theupper end 19 of the lifting arm 17 to a flexible lifting cable means inthe form of chain links 20 through an interconnecting shackle 21.

The laterally extending plate or wing portion 5 of the body 2 includesan elongated downwardly and outwardly inclined slot 22 which extendsfrom an area closely adjacent pivot 16, as indicated generally at 23, toan outer end portion 24 of the plate which is disposed spacedly behindthe inner jaw element portion 3, and slightly inwardly of this outer endportion 24. A tab portion 25 of the plate extends downwardly into theslot 22 and defines together with end portion 24 and end socket portion26 of the plate. The slot 22 is adapted to receive a pin in the form ofbolt 27 which, it will be seen, is caged Within the slot 22 and which iscarried by the lower end 38 of a link 28. The upper end 39 of the link28 pivotally connects by means of pivot pin 29 to lifting arm 17 betweenthe pivots 16 and 18 of the lifting arm 17 and preferably approximatelyinterrnediately thereof. Bolt 27 is arranged to traverse the slot 22 andto engage in socket 26. More particularly, when link 29 is lowered,lifting arm 17 pivots on pivot 16 and swings generally in the directionof arrow 30 into the broken line position shown at 31, thereby disposingpin 27 in position 32. When lifting cable means are again raised, thepin 32 may be manually directed into socket 26, whereby a tilting forceis imposed on the grapple.

It will be noted from FIG. 2 that the jaw element portions 3 and 4 ofthe body 2 comprises a heavily reinforced portion integrally connectedto plate portion 5, and that lifting arm 17, link 28 and shackle 21 arearranged as double elements 17 and 17, 28 and 28' and 21 and 21',respectively, and are symmetrically disposed with respect to the plateportion 5 of the body 2. It will be additionally seen from FIG. 2 thatpin 16 is provided, conveniently, with a handle extension 33 by means ofwhich it may be readily manipulated into and out of the socket 26.

FIG. 3 is demonstrative of the use of the grapple in lifting the I-beam15, shown in broken lines thereon, and the parts of the grapple are, ofcourse, in accord with the description thereof heretofore given.

To employ the grapple for the raising of an object such as the I-beam 15the grapple is first lowered in the condition shown in FIG. 1 onto theflange 34 of the I- beam 15 and the lifting cable is sufficiently"slackened to permit pin 27 to travel along slot 22 into the positionshown at 32. This, of course, disposed the lifting arm 17 into theposition shown at 31. Thereafter, by manipulating handle 33, the pin maybe brought under the socket portion 26, and as the lifting force isapplied at the shackled upper end 19 of the lifting arm 17, the arm 17swings upwardly and pin 27 engages in the socket 26 spacedly behind theinner jaw element 3. The grapple 1, upon further lifting, then tiltstoward the right as viewed in FIG. 1 or in FIG. 3, and edges 9 and 12 ofthe jaw toothed elements 7 and 8 engage and penetrate slightly into theflange portion 34 and tend to twist the I beam 15 in the same clockwisedirection in which the grapple tends to rotate when lifted with the pin27 engaged in the socket 26. As the lifting action continues, the I-beam15 is raised from the ground, or from the position in which it has beensupported, and imposes its weight upon the grapple 1. It will beunderstood that the center of gravity of the I-beam is offset to theleft of its flange 34 as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3 and that the center ofgravity of the I-beam will be located behind jaw element 3 and that asthe complete Weight of the I-beam is imposed on the grapple, and on thelifting cable 66, the center of gravity of the I-beam will fallsubstantially vertically below pivot 18. In this position, with theinner and outer jaws 3 and 4 being offset to the right of pivot 18 andof the center of gravity of the I-bearn, as seen in FIG. 3, asubstantial twisting force is applied against flange 34, which causesthe jaw toothed elements 7 and 8 to dig into the flange 34. Thistwisting force is static when the I beam is suspended by the grapplesince the twisting force exerted on the flange by the offset center ofgravity of the beam is counteracted or opposed by the offset forceapplied to the lifting arm 17 of the grapple, the lifting arm 17 underthese conditions being in a position in which it extends from the jawteeth toward the left along the I-beam being lifted as viewed in FIG. 3.

Upon placement of the lifted I-beam in a ground resting position, thelifting force is released and the lifting arm 17 falls toward the socket26 and carries downward with it the link 28 and the bearing pin 27 towhich it is joined at its lower end. Accordingly, the pin 27 disengagesfrom the socket 27 and is free to pass into the inner portion 35 of theslot 22. Thereafter, upon the subsequent application of the liftingforce, the lifting arm 17 pivots on pin 16 and swings upwardly, carryingwith it the link 28 and the bearing pin 27, the latter of which returnsto the area 23 adjacent to the inner end of slot 28 as shown in FIG. 1,whereby grapple 1 assumes the position, shown in full lines in FIG. 1,in which it may be raised free of the I-beam. 7

From the foregoing it is apparent that upon the release of the liftingforce the grapple 1 releases itself from the object transported and thatgrappling engagement with the flange 34 of the I-beam 15 and freedomfrom such grappling engagement, as shown in FIG. 1, depend'upon whetherthe bearing pin 27 is engaged in the socket 26 or is freely movable inthe intermediate portion 35 and up to the inner portion 23 of the slot22.

While only a certain preferred embodiment of this invention has beenshown and described by way of illustration, many modifications willoccur to those skilled in the art and it is, therefore, desired that itbe understood that it is intended in the appended claims to cover allsuch modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of thisinvention.

What is claimed as new and what it is desired to secure by LettersPatent of the United States is:

1. A grapple comprising a body member having first and second downwardlyextending toothed jaws with said second jaw facing and spaced in apredetermined lateral direction from said first jaw, said jaws definingtherebetween an object receiving opening, a lifting arm member having alower end pivotally connected to said body member generally alignedabove the opening between said jaws, said arm member having means at itsupper end for securing a lifting cable thereto, said body member furtherhaving a slot therein and an inclined tab extending into said slot fordividing said slot into outer and inner portions communicating belowsaid t-ab, said inner portion of said slot being adjacent said lower endof said arm member, said outer portion of said slot being spaced fromsaid first jaw in a direction therefrom opposite to said predeterminedlateral direction, a linking member pivotally attached at one end tosaid arm member spacedly above said one end of said am member and havingits other end disposed adjacent said slot, a hearing element connectedto said other end of said linking member, said bearing element beingcaged in and adapted to traverse said slot, said linking member adaptedand arranged to dispose said cable securing means toward said outer slotportion when said bearing element is selectively disposed therein and torelease said cable securing means to swing generally in alignment abovethe opening between said jaws when said bearing element is disposed insaid inner slot portion.

2. A grapple comprising a body member including first and second jawswith said second jaw facing and spaced in a predetermined lateraldirection from said first jaw, said jaws defining therebetween agenerally inverted U- shaped object receiving opening, a plateintegrally formed with said jaws and extending from said first jaw in adirection opposite to said predetermined lateral direction, said platebeing interrupted by a slot having a tab extending downwardly into saidslot dividing said slot into an inner portion adjacent said first jawand an outer portion disposed laterally away in said opposite directionfrom said first jaw, a jaw toothed element mounted on said first jawextending into said opening and having a flat inner end surface and adiverging outer surface juncturing with said end surface and forming asharp peripheral edge at said juncture, another jaw toothed elementmounted on said second jaw extending into said opening having acylindrical outer surface and an outwardly diverging innerfrustro-conical surface juncturing with said outer surface and forming asharp peripheral edge thereof, a lifting arm pivotally attached at oneend to said body member above and in alignment with said opening andconnected at its other end to a lifting cable, a link pivotallyconnected at one end to said lifting arm intermediate the ends of saidarm and having a second end opposite thereto, a pin joined, to saidsecond end of said link caged within and adapted to traverse said slotand to move between said inner and outer portions thereof, said linkbeing proportioned in length to dispose said other end of said liftingarm laterally away from said first jaw in said opposite direction whensaid pin is disposed in said outer portion of said slot and to disposesaid other end of said lifting arm generally above said opening whensaid pin is disposed in said inner portion of said slot.

3. A self-releasing grapple for lifting a flanged beam comprising agenerally flat vertically arranged body member having an upper pivotalconnecting portion, a lower jaw portion aligned below said pivotalportion and a laterally extending wing portion extending in apredetermined lateral direction from said pivotal and jaw portions, saidjaw portion having a generally inverted U- shaped opening extendingupwardly thereinto for the reception of a flange of a beam to be lifted,a pair of spaced, facing jaw elements disposed on said jaw portion onrespectively opposite sides of said opening, a lifting means pivotalconnection on said upper portion comprising a pivot axis disposedgenerally horizontally and perpendicular to said body member, saidlaterally extending wing portion having an elongated slot thereinterminating at one end adjacent said connection and at the other endspacedly outwardly in said predetermined direction from said pivotal andjaw portions, said wing portion including means forming a socket at saidother end of said slot and communicating therewith, a link having afirst portion caged in said slot slideable therealong and selec- Jtively engageable upwardly in said socket, and lifting means coupled tosaid connection extending upwardly from said upper portion, said linkhaving a second portion spaced from its said first portion coupled tosaid lifting means at a point spacedly above said connection.

4. A self-releasing grapple for lifting a flanged beam comprising a bodymember having a pivotal connecting portion and a jaw portion, said jawportion comprising first and second facing jaw elements with said secondjaw element spaced from said first jaw element in a predeterminedlateral direction, said jaw elements defining therebetween an opening insaid member for the reception upwardly thereinto of a flange of the beamto be lifted, said pivotal portion being generally aligned above theopening said body member further comprising a laterally extendingslotted wing portion extending outwardly from said first jaw element ina lateral direction opposite to said predetermined lateral directionsaid wing portion having a slot therein terminating at one end adjacentsaid pivotal portion and at the other end spaced laterally away fromsaid first jaw element, said wing portion including means forming asocket at said other end of said slot and communicating therewith, alink having a first portion caged in and slideable along said slot andselectively engageable in said socket and retained therein duringlifting of the beam and selectively disengageable therefrom upondepositing of the beam, lifting means pivotally connected to saidconnecting portion of said body member, said link having a secondportion spaced from said first portion coupled to said lifting means ata point spacedly above said pivotal connecting portion.

5. A grapple comprising a body member having a pivotal connectingportion and a jaw portion, said jaw portion comprising first and secondfacing jaws with said second jaw spaced from said first jaw in apredetermined lateral direction, said jaws defining therebetween anopening in said member for the reception of a flange of a beam to belifted, said pivotal portion being generally aligned above the opening,said body member further comprising a laterally extending slotted wingportion extending outwardly from said first jaw in a lateral directionopposite to said predetermined lateral direction, said wing portionhaving a slot therein terminating at one end adjacent said pivotalportion and at the other end spaced laterally away from said first jaw,said wing portion including means forming a socket at said other end ofraid slot and communicating therewith, a lifting arm member having alower end pivotally connected to said connecting portion of said bodymember and an upper end adapted and arranged for connection with liftingcable means, link means having a first end portion connected to said armmember above said lower end thereof and having a second portion spacedfrom said first portion, and means including said second portion tocause said second portion to be selectively engageable in said socketfor oflsetting said upper end of said arm member toward said socket whensaid second portion is engaged in said socket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,011,660 Strathern Dec. 12, 1911 1,390,650 Smith Sept. 13, 19211,406,704 Varicle Feb. 14, 1922 2,324,361 Chandler July 13, 19432,412,555 Baker Dec. 17, 1946 2,523,434 Johnson Sept. 26, 1950 2,542,289Robbins Feb. 10, 1951 2,619,372 Gardner Nov. 25, 1956

